AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 13, 2026

AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 16, 2026

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

96

Introduced by Assembly Member Connolly

February 20, 2026

An act to add Section 303.5 to the Public Utilities Code, relating to energy.

Vote: majority   Appropriation: no   Fiscal committee: yes   Local program: yes

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

The California Constitution establishes the Public Utilities Commission, with jurisdiction over all public utilities, and provides for the composition and appointment of the commission. Existing law prohibits an executive of a public utility from serving as a commissioner within 2 years after leaving the employment of the public utility.

This bill would prohibit a commissioner of the commission from being employed by an entity subject to regulation by the commission for a period of 2 years after the end of the commissioner’s term of office.

Under existing law, a violation of the Public Utilities Act or any order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the commission is a crime.

Because the provisions of the bill would be part of the act and a violation of a commission action implementing the bill’s requirements would be a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 303.5 is added to the Public Utilities Code, to read:

303.5.

A commissioner, for a period of two years after the end of the commissioner’s term of office, shall not be employed by an entity subject to regulation by the commission.

SEC. 2.

No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIIIB of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIIIB of the California Constitution.